//------------------------------// // Rarity Takes Manehattan // Story: My Little Pony: Sora's Misadventures in Equestria // by Codex92 //------------------------------// Early in the morning, everyone gathered at the train station in Ponyville. They were all going to spend an entire week in Manehattan, and the reason why being that Rarity would take part in the Fashion Week competition that was held there. While they waited on the platform for the train to Manehattan, Spike pulled the last of Rarity's luggage up to put on the train. "Phew. There you go, Rarity," the dragon said. "There's the last of your bags." "Actually, Spikey, I have one more pile over there." Rarity pointed over to the other side of the platform, where she had more bags that matched the pile Spike had just brought over. "Ok, I may be a girl, but there's no way I ever bring my entire house's wardrobe with me when I travel," Kairi said as they all watched Spike obey his crush's demands. "But, getting to see a city here in Equestria aside from Canterlot will be a big change." "And I'm glad all of you are coming along. Luckily, I can also show you how happy I am with what I have for everypony." Rarity pulled out several tickets out of her saddlebags. "These are the tickets to one of the biggest musicals to ever be seen in Manehattan on Bridleway, and the costume designer for the show pulled a few strings to give us front row seats!" The other five members of the Mane Six gasped in surprise, though Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Aqua were left in the dark about this popular musical. "Tickets to a theater show?" "You don't mean 'Hinny of the Hills', do you, Rarity!?" Twilight asked in excitement, the fashionista nodding her head. "But that show's been sold out for months! Rarity, you didn't have to!" "But I did! Although, I was only given seven tickets, so four of us will be left out." Rarity looked over at the Keyblade wielders, Sora and Riku quickly shaking their heads. "I'm gonna pass on watching a musical if it's meant for girls," Riku said. "I've been in a musical already, and it was all underwater," Sora said. "I don't want to sit through one and watch it." "I'm not much of a fan of musicals," Aqua said. Not hearing Kairi object, she offered the other ticket to her. "...Well, I guess I'll go and see it...unless Spike wants-" "Pass," Spike said with a huff, plopping down on his rear after carrying a heavy bag up with the pile. "'Hinny of the Hills' is a girly musical. I'd rather go to the malls and scope around for some more comic books." "Non-enchanted comic books, right?" Sora reminded. "No enchanted comics this time. Just plain old, non-magical comics." The train had arrived at the station as everyone got on board, Rarity's massive pile of luggage being carried on by Spike, Sora, and Riku, the two stallions helping the baby dragon lighten his load to carry. Their trip didn't take long as they arrived in the large metropolis across an arched bridge over the river. From the windows, they could see the bustling crowd in the streets as they walked underneath the tall skyscrapers that stood tall. There were a variety of shops strewn about the maze of roads, restaurants, businesses, apartments, entertainment centers, and so much more that was to be expected in a city. Sora was surprised to see that Manehattan didn't look that different from how he saw it in Applejack's cutie mark tale. And knowing Babs lived in the city, he was curious to see how she was doing with her time at school and the Manehattan branch of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. After getting a proper tour of the place, he was going to ask Applejack for the filly's address and catch up with her. The train arrived at the station as they entered the city, the three boys carrying Rarity's luggage as they stepped onto the bustling streets of Manehattan. "Follow me, everypony," Rarity said as she lead them down one of the busy streets. "I got us a few rooms at a hotel just a block away from the station. And it's in the heart of this glorious metropolis!" Walking down the sidewalk, they noticed a theater not too far from where they were walking, and on the awning was the musical that would be playing that the mares were too eager to see. "I can't wait until we get to see 'Hinny of the Hills'!" "I don't know how we can thank you for getting us those tickets, Rarity," Twilight said. "No need, darling. Besides, this is what Manehattan is about." Rarity waved a hoof as she marveled at the city, ponies walking by and cabs speeding past them on the streets. "If you do something nice for somepony, you won't know if somepony will do something nice for you." "That doesn't really sound like a good idea," Aqua interjected. "Being overly generous to a bunch of strangers you've never met can lead you to being very easy to manipulate." "Well, Rarity's the Element of Generosity, so being generous is her thing," Sora explained. "Why else do you think she brought you into her place to stay while you're here?" "Because she offered to and I went along with it?" the blue unicorn asked. "And she fixed your clothes for you and didn't ask for any money, right?" She nodded her head, understanding her generous personality now, but being too generous will leave the mare vulnerable to others who are greedy. "And doing something as awesome as getting us tickets to see 'Hinny of the Hills' is the best gift ever!" Rainbow cheered, surprising the others as the brash, tomboyish pegasus liked a musical. "Wow. Rainbow Dash likes musicals," Sora gasped with feigned shock. "Perish the thought. We have an impostor among us." "I really don't get musicals all that much," Aqua said as music began to play around them, the mare unaware of the upcoming song as she pondered. "Who actually goes out of their way to break into song about anything at complete random?" [Rarity] Oh, Manehattan, what you do to me Such a huge bustling community And there's always opportunity To do the friendly thing The blue unicorn groaned and slapped her forehead as Rarity broke into song, Sora chuckling as they all followed the group across the city to drop off the fashion designer's luggage and see the sights. "Like we said, Aqua. It happens. Just enjoy the music." "I probably should have stayed behind," Aqua mumbled. "Me and my big mouth." If some are grouchy, pay no mind Surprise instead with something kind Lo and behold, you may just find A smile is what you bring They soon arrived at the hotel where a concierge was greeted them. "Welcome to the Manefair Hotel!" the stallion said. "Please allow me to take those bags to your room for you!" "Only if you'll accept this gratuity first." Rarity pulled out a pink gem and gave it to the employee. "Oh, I'll get you some change," he said, only for the unicorn to place it in his uniform's front pocket. "Do keep it all. I insist." Aqua was about to protest about Rarity's "generous" tip to the stallion, only for the others to drag her with them as the three males dropped the suitcases filled with Rarity's belongings for the hotel concierge to deal with. Generosity, I'm here to show all that I can give Generosity, I'm here to set the bar Just sit back and watch how I live The party were now on a small ship, taking a tour around the river of Manehattan to the giant pony Statue of Liberty, one of the popular and outstanding tourist spots in the city. They reached the top to get a better view of the city from the top of the statue, Rarity accidentally bumping into a stallion to use the bit operated binoculars. "After you," Rarity said, allowing the unknown stallion to go first. "Why, thank you." As she walked over to find another, she saw another stallion shivering from the cold breeze. "Please, take mine." Rarity gave the stallion her pink scarf she was wearing, wrapping it around his neck to let him have. "Wow, ok," the stallion said, a bit shocked but thankful for the generous gift. "Rarity, don't get too friendly with everyone you meet," Aqua chided, but her warnings fell on deaf ears as they continued with their tour back in the city. Some may say, "Rarity Don't be so big-hearted and bold Treating strangers like they're friends This town's too big and cold" Aqua rolled her eyes, being one of those few trying to tell her not to be too kind to anyone she doesn't truly know, especially ponies that lived in a city. But this is how I play my cards I'm not about to fold Where I see a frown, I go to town Call me the smile patrol [Rainbow Dash] Oh, Manehattan, what you do to us [Fluttershy] What if you find a Gloomy Gus? Fluttershy pointed out to a taxi carriage that had a busted wheel, holding up traffic and making the mare riding inside late for wherever she needed to go. Sora, Riku, and Applejack helped lift up the carriage for Rarity to fix the wheel up for them out of her generosity. [Applejack] It's no intimidatin' thing [Pinkie Pie] Just be kind without a fuss [Rarity] Generosity, I'm here to show all that I can do Generosity, you are the key Manehattan, I'm here just for you Just for you Once the song had ended and their tour continued after helping out the stallion pulling the taxi, Aqua glowered in disapproval at Rarity's overwhelming bout of generous offers. The others didn't notice her expression as they window shopped some of the jewelry stores. "Oh, just think. My dresses will be displayed in the most glamorous boutiques in one of the biggest cities in Equestria!" Rarity squealed excitedly. "It would be a dream come true to me!" "Is there anything else you need that we can help you with?" Twilight offered. "No, not really," the white unicorn said. "My dresses are already finished, and they're all made with a new fabric I created that Aqua helped model after months of development. How did I describe them again?" Aqua sighed as she recalled the exact words Rarity used for the fabric of her designs. "Stretchy, but not clingy. Shimmery, but not showy." "...Are you alright, darling?" Rarity asked. "Do you not like the city life?" "No, it's not the city," Aqua said. "I'm just a little bit miffed at someone's behavior." "But I didn't do anything weird today!" Pinkie exclaimed. The blue unicorn slumped her shoulders and shook her head, not even bothering with saying who specifically was annoying her. "Well, with nothing else to do, I will check in at the runway with my dresses at two this afternoon." "Uhh, Rarity?" Sora pointed at the clock tower in the distance, showing it was almost ten 'til two. "What!? Oh my goodness! The runway ballroom is all the way across town, and I'll be disqualified if I don't show up!" Rarity ran up to the curb of the street and tried to call a taxi. "TAXI!" "And this is what happens when you get too distracted admiring the city when you're here for business more than pleasure..." The others tried to call a cab for Rarity, though they were all stopping at a line where a long line of ponies stood waiting for a ride. "Excuse us, but can you please let my friend take this taxi?" Twilight asked a gruff stallion at the front of the line. "She's got somewhere important to be and needs to get there now." "Beat it, toots!" the stallion rudely said. "You want a cab, get in the back of the line like everypony else!" Hearing him insulting a princess right in front of everyone, Riku stepped in front of the stallion before he got into his cab. "I'm sorry, but do you have any idea who you just spoke to, you ungrateful prick!?" "Get outta my way, you little brat!" He raised his hoof to smack the teen away, but Riku summoned his Keyblade, making the rude stallion rethink his word choice as he pointed the tip of his blade at him. "You realize you were talking to Princess Twilight Sparkle, and one of her friends needs a cab to get somewhere she needs to be." He turned his blade, pressing it up against the terrified stallion's neck as he got up in his face. "And don't call me a brat." "Riku, stop!" Twilight dragged Riku away, giggling nervously at her coltfriend's overprotective behavior. "Sorry about my coltfriend. He's...kind of loyal to protecting me, being a princess and all." "Hey!" The group looked over and saw the stallion who pulled the carriage they helped fix. "Any of you called out for a taxi? I can take you where you need to after fixing the wheel as good as new." "Yes!" Rarity called out, quickly hopping into the yellow carriage. "I need to get to the fashion runway plaza within the next ten minutes! Can you make it?" "In my sleep! Hold on, miss!" The taxi puller galloped off down the street, taking Rarity where she needed to go. "Whew. That was really convenient. We don't need a taxi anymore, sir," Twilight said to the stallion that disrespected her authority, shakily getting into the cab as Riku gave him a death glare. Aqua was a bit surprised to see someone that Rarity had helped actually helped them back, paying her in kind for fixing the wheel. Before she could rethink the mare's generous nature, she noticed that Rarity forgot something she needed to take with her for the fashion show. "Oh, great," she uttered. "Rarity forgot the dresses." The others gasped in shock, all of their excitement making them forget about Rarity's fashion line she was going to show. "I'll handle this. You guys go off and continue sight-seeing." "You sure you can-" Aqua suddenly zipped off, the hotel not too far from where they stood. She appeared a moment later, carrying the rack of clothing in her aura, leaping up high and running up one of the buildings until she reached the rooftop. "-...handle it?" The unicorn leapt from rooftop to rooftop, some of her leaps added by an extra air jump, her hooves releasing a bright light that acted as a temporary platform to reach the farther buildings. "Wow. Aqua really is a Keyblade Master if she can pull off moves like that." Rainbow looked at Kairi and Riku, rubbing her hooves together. "So, any chance either of you two want to let me-" "No, Rainbow Dash!" the two young Keyblade Masters shouted in unison. "You gave Twilight a Keyblade," the pegasus argued. "On accident, and I didn't know I could give someone a Keyblade just from someone having contact with it if I hold onto it." Rainbow began to beg, but Riku wasn't going to have any of it. "Stop thinking about it." "Well, we might as well see the rest of Manehattan until nightfall," Sora said, looking over to Applejack as he had an idea in mind. "Hey, AJ, you know where Babs lives?" Rarity managed to arrive at the plaza right on time, thanking the stallion and running inside. She made it right before it started to rain, panting heavily as she walked up to the front desk where a mare was lazily going through different files. "Hello!" the unicorn wheezed as she caught her breath. "I'm here for Fashion Week!" "Everypony's gathered by the runway inside," the receptionist said without looking up from her work. "Bring your dresses along with you and place them backstage to store them for the event." "Yes, thank-" Rarity paused and gasped, realizing she came without her clothing line. "Oh no. My dresses! I forgot my dresses!" "I got them." She turned around and saw Aqua with her clothing line protectively covered and hidden from others under a long sheet. "You were too busy sightseeing and lost track of time, you forgot the wardrobe you were supposed to show off." "Oh, Aqua! Thank you so much!" Rarity ran into Aqua and caught her in a bone crushing hug, squeezing out all the air in the older unicorn's lungs. "What would I do without you!?" "C-Crush my ribcage and puncture my lungs?" she gasped, Rarity finally letting go, taking her clothing line with her and rushing inside before she was too late. "A pony of class, but she isn't frail, I'll give her that." Deciding to keep a better eye on her, Aqua headed inside the auditorium where several ponies on the runway stage stood. Rarity rushed out as she listened to the mare who was in charge of the fashion show, a dark gray earth pony mare with a pink mane and tail, wearing a lighter pink long-sleeved shirt, her cutie mark a pair of gold scissors cutting some pink thread from a spool. Her name was Prim Headline, and with Rarity's near tardiness, she would show off her designs last and do any last minute touch-ups for her line for her run through for the preliminaries. As the unicorn made her way backstage to assist Rarity, she accidentally bumped into another mare who was walking in the opposite direction. "Sorry!" she said as Aqua got a good look at her before she walked off elsewhere. She was a light amber earth pony, her mane two light shades of cyan, a red hair clip in her hair with a purple collar and a red tie around her neck. She passed too quickly to see what her cutie mark was, but it looked like a purple hat with a red feather in it. Aqua ignored the rushing mare as she met with Rarity talking to a mare who she seemed to know. She was a pink earth pony with purple hair, wearing a blue crossed ascot, her cutie mark a trio of different colored buttons. "Aqua, there you are!" Rarity called her over as she stood by her line with one of the ponies she saw that the white unicorn would be competing against. "I want you to meet a pony I had met from the Ponyville Knitters League many years ago, Suri Polomare! Suri, this is my friend and helpful assistant, Aqua!" "It's nice to meet you," Suri said, though the sound of her tone didn't sound that sincere with the Keyblade Master. "I actually used to live in Ponyville, but I moved here to the big city to make it big. You know, a better living and all." "Uh huh." Suri began inspecting Aqua's clothing, highly interested in the battle outfit she always wore. "This looks really nice," the mare complimented. "Did Rarity make this?" "No, I...made it myself," Aqua said. "Not for fashion. I travel a lot, and they're functional for any terrain." "I see. Oh, and we were just talking about our clothing lines before you came in here." Suri pointed over to the two mobile racks of clothes, the blue unicorn's eyes growing wide as Rarity's designs were on display next to what appeared to be Suri's lines. "I thought maybe my clothing could use an extra touch up before I show them off to the judges, and I think some of the fabric Rarity used in her clothes could help show off the accents." "...What?" Aqua questioned." "You don't mind if I borrowed a swatch of that beautifully silky smooth fabric, would you, Rarity?" Suri asked. "Why sure!" Aqua's eye twitched as Rarity pulled out the roll of her hoof-made fabric. "I have plenty to-" "Whoa, hold on a second!" the Keyblade Master interjected as she dragged the overly generous mare to another room, dragging her clothing line and her fabric far away from Suri. After stopping a far enough distance, Aqua poked Rarity's muzzle hard, ashamed at what she was doing. "Are you insane!? You're helping one of your opponents in this competition you want to win!?" "What has gotten you so irate!?" Rarity questioned as she rubbed her snout. "I'm letting her borrow some fabric for accents. What's the harm in that?" "Are you sure she's a friend or some colleague you met who might take advantage of you?" Rarity gasped, appalled at Aqua's assumption. "Why would she do that?" she asked. "Suri's a very talented fashion designer. You barely met her and you don't even trust her." "That's because she isn't trustworthy if you just offer her to take 'some' of your fabric to use for her 'accents'," Aqua argued. "I told you earlier that being too generous will make you vulnerable to being manipulated and taken advantage of, and you're helping your enemy in this competition! And the sooner you help her win, she'll end up stabbing you in the back and kill your friends because you thought you could trust someone even if you knew how powerful they were!" "Aqua, what are you talking about!? Suri isn't a killer! She-" Rarity stopped herself as she noticed Aqua's shaky breaths, pain filling her eyes as she struggled not to shed a tear. She wound up shifting to the biggest downfall in her life where Xehanort was considered one of hers and her friends' teachers, but he ended up manipulating Terra, killed their true master Eraqus, and took her friend's body. After relying on a former mentor turned psychotic villain bent on destroying the worlds and shrouding them in darkness. Aqua realized what she had said and turned away, controlling her anger before she wound up in another magic surge. "...Aqua..." "F-Forget I said that," Aqua said, not wanting to go back into that depressing moment of her life again. "Just...you're not supposed to help your opponents in any kind of competition." "...Are you having trust issues?" Rarity asked. "You're able to trust us." "Because I know you're not corrupted by power and you've done a lot to save your world, or for the others' cases, saving several worlds...I just have a gut feeling that Suri's going to backstab you if you 'help' her..." The mare sighed, calmed down enough not to blow up in anger, but she was still miffed. "I know you're a pony who loves to give things, showing your generous nature to others who are actually in need, but if you keep doing this, you're going to wind up regretting helping someone if they steal any of your ideas." "Aqua, I know Suri Polomare. I can trust her." Aqua grumbled, shaking her head, forgetting trying to reason with the fashionista. "Why don't you head back to the hotel and rest? Maybe take a look around Manehattan and find someplace you like to unwind? You're like a coiled spring ready to break and bounce up to the moon." "Alright, fine. Ignore the several warnings I've been giving you. Go ahead and give Suri some of your fabric." Aqua stormed off in a huff. "Don't come crying to me when she betrays you and uses your generosity, because I told you so over and over all day today!" The unicorn left the plaza, leaping her way back up to the rooftops. She took in a few deep breaths to calm herself, leaping across the buildings back to the hotel. She wanted to just relax and forget everything that happened today, and everything else in her life that led her to the emotional wreck she became. Once she reached the hotel, she ignored the looks from other ponies as she landed on the ground from the roof without so much as a broken leg and walked inside. Instead of going to her room, however, she headed down to the hotel's bar, needing something hard and strong to drown her misery and anger. A while later, Rarity waited out by the front desk for her run-through appointment later this afternoon after touching up her clothing. She had no clue where Suri had gone off to after she let her borrow her one-of-a-kind fabric she herself made, and she took the entire roll of it too. She was half an hour early, exactly as Prim Headline had ordered. While waiting, the receptionist looked up from her magazine and noticed Rarity's line of smooth lavender silk. "Oh, those are gorgeous," she complimented. "Did you make those yourself?" "Why, yes I did," Rarity said with pride. "It's stretchy, but not clingy. Shimmery-" "Shimmery, but not showy." Hearing Suri's voice come from inside on the runway, Rarity looked through the doorway and gawked in horror at her line. She updated her own line with her own fabric that she generously gave to her, stealing her work and passing it off as her own. Standing beside her line looking nervous and guilty was the same mare Aqua had run into earlier. "And the entire line is in the same adorable pattern. It works on everything from skirts to shirts to shoes, anything a pony wants to wear to look good and feel comfortable." Rarity didn't hear Prim praising her "original" designs as she stomped up to the runway and confronted Suri as soon as the head of the fashion show left. "You stole my fabric!" The thieving mare laughed, mocking Rarity as she didn't believe her. "I didn't steal anything. You gave me the fabric, remember?" "For accents!" Rarity corrected. "Not for your whole line! How did you even manage to make all of these outfits so quickly!?" "Fast?" Suri scoffed as she looked at the mare, now more guilty after hearing Rarity say the fabric was hers. "Coco Pommel took forever to make these and almost got me disqualified." "W-Well, I wanted to make sure you won," Coco said timidly. "I tried to put in extra time to-" "Quiet!" Suri shouted, silencing the mare. "I pay an assistant and sew and get me coffee, not talk." Rarity couldn't believe that somepony she thought she could trust ended up stealing her fabric and backstabbed her by making her own line. Aqua was right; her generosity just ruined her, and now she can't show off her own line unless she wanted everyone to think she copied Suri Polomare. "Now, don't go and feel down, Rarity. "It takes some fillies from a small town to learn that it's everypony for themselves in the city." Unable to go through with her own generosity ruining her chances of winning, Rarity fled, throwing her original line in the trash as she ran back to the hotel. "Hopefully you realize just how fortunate you are to have me as your mentor." "Y-You stole her fabric?" Coco asked. "She gave it to me. There's a big difference." The assistant wilted, still feeling awful for making her boss's clothing line with someone else's unique fabric. "Now get me some coffee!" "Y-Yes, Suri!" Coco obeyed, running off to the nearby coffee shop to get Suri's usual order. Inside the hotel room, the others had gotten back from their little trek around Manehattan, enjoying the sights and all the city had to offer. Sora brought in a few bags full of clothing and accessories Kairi looked over and wanted to buy in the many shopping areas, following inside after the skipping pink unicorn with a frown. "Remind me why I became your pack mule for your stuff I bought for you when you could have carried them with just your magic alone?" Sora asked. "Because you're a gentleman and you agreed to do it," Kairi responded. "...Oh yeah." Sora put the bags down in their room, where they shared the room with Riku and Aqua. "Riku is lucky Twilight doesn't behave like a normal girl." "And what is that supposed to mean?" Kairi questioned suspiciously, leering at the teen with the comment he made. "She looked at the book stores the whole time we were in those malls. No dresses, jewelry, accessories, makeup, the usual things any girl would look for." Kairi rolled her eyes and smacked Sora upside the head, the stallion smirking at her as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well, it's mostly true." "Excuse me for being a girl," she said, nudging her boyfriend out of the room to meet up with the others next door. "At least you knew what it was like to be one for a day." Sora groaned as Kairi reminded him of the Poison Joke incident. "Please stop reminding me about that! I swear, I'll find some Poison Joke and rub it all over you just to see what happens to you! Riku too if he pokes fun at me for it as well!" Entering the room next door, the Keyblade wielders heard the other girls squealing, probably unable to wait for tomorrow when the musical will play. Riku was inside and clutched his ears, not exactly in tune with his feminine side as he winced from the ear piercing cheering. A moment later, as the mares were busy talking about their day and what they'll do for tonight, Rarity opened the door and slumped inside, looking absolutely miserable. "Hey, Rarity," Twilight greeted, hers and the others' excitement fading as they saw the state she was in. "Are you ok?" "Was Aqua too late delivering your dresses for you?" Sora asked. The only response the white unicorn gave was a deep breath, then letting it all out as she bawled, plopping down on her bed in distress. "And that points to a yes." "Aqua delivered my dresses, but Suri STOLE them!" Rarity cried out, hyperventilating as she began explaining what happened. "I let her use my one-of-a-kind fabric and copied my exact wardrobe, but now it'll look like I'm the one who copied her and I'll end up being disqualified!" She bawled harder and buried her face in her pillow. "MY GENEROSITY HAS RUINED MEEEE!" Before the others could try to console the weeping unicorn, the bedroom door slammed open as Aqua stumbled in. The moment they looked at the older mare, they knew something was wrong with her the moment she walked in: nearly tripping over her hooves, her cheeks red, her body swaying as she struggled to stay standing, and she also held a bottle of hard cider in her aura, the blue light flickering as her concentration waned from her drunken state. "Well, well, well, what did I tell ya, Rarity?" Aqua questioned, her words slurred as she hiccuped. "You got too nice, and now ya got taken advantage of! I told-hic-told ya so!" She dropped the hold of her drink, thankfully empty as it rolled over to Sora. He picked it up, staring in shock at the hard brand of alcoholic cider she drank. "Aqua, are you drunk?" he asked. "No, I'm as sober as a...as a uhh..." The Keyblade Master wound up in a daze as she stared at Sora, squinting at him through her blurry vision. "...What was I saying?" "Why were you drinking?" Kairi asked. "Hey, don't tell me what I can and can't do!" Aqua argued as she stepped forward, only to fall flat on her face. Her hooves scrambled back up as she stumbled forward, bumping into Sora and Riku and using them as leverage to keep her laxed limbs from making her fall again. "I am an adult, and I can do whatever I want! And I needed a drink after all I've been through!" She leaned closer to the Princess of Heart, Kairi scrunching her muzzle in disgust as she smelled the alcohol on the blue unicorn's breath. "None of you have any idea what I had lost...Not. A. One." "...Ok, I think you need to get to bed and sleep it off," Sora suggested, only for Aqua to press her hoof up to his lips and shush him. "Quiet, Ventus. I'm fine," she said. "Uhh..." Aqua patted Sora's head, confusing everyone with her drunken assumption that Sora was one of her friends who had lost their heart. "And you're ok too." She suddenly hugged the unfortunate stallion, squeezing him tightly. In her eyes, she was only able to see Ventus through her blurry vision, just seeing his spiky hair enough to convince her that it was her young friend in front of her. Tears streamed down her face as she went from happy to miserable, remembering the promise she made to try to bring Ventus and Terra back, but failed to do so. "I'm such a horrible friend...I couldn't save either of you." "Someone help me," Sora whispered as he felt her petting his head, only to be squeezed harder as Aqua began crying. "I'm so sorry, Ven," she whimpered, falling on her side and bringing Sora with him, the others only able to watch as they saw her sorrow fully out in the open. "Thirteen years in the Realm of Darkness, and I couldn't leave...I left you all alone, and I still can't find your heart...I couldn't even save Terra...I'm a horrible friend..." It didn't take long for Aqua to finally pass out after rocking herself and Sora as she cried for the next few minutes. As soon as he heard her snoring, Sora carefully snuck his way out of her hooves, running his hoof through his hair as he felt a little awkward with the passed out Keyblade Master's drunken stupor. They all felt bad for her, knowing she's been through worse than any of them could ever fathom. Sora, however, felt a lot worse as a tear slowly rolled down his cheek without realizing it. "Sora?" He looked up, seeing the concerned expression on the others' faces. He began to notice the tear rolling down his cheek, confused at why he felt miserable. It was just like back in Twilight Town when he first met Hayner, Pence, and Olette after waking up, leaving so soon after just getting to know them, but a part of him felt like they would never see each other again. He knew that had happened because Roxas knew those three in the photo of the four friends in front of the mansion and he expressed a slight emotion through Sora, but he had no idea why this happened again. "Again...?" He wiped his cheek away of the lone tear, looking down at the drunk mare. "...I'm ok...Don't know what got into me..." Aqua groaned as her body forced her awake, her head pounding and her stomach feeling ill. She squinted her eyes open, the sun thankfully hidden behind the clouds, but the small shimmer of brightness made her close them as her eyes burned. She had no clue what happened to her after downing a few bottles of that hard cider she drank, mostly just to drown out her anger and sorrows of her past. Her mouth felt dry and she was a bit queasy, realizing just how horrible getting drunk was as she experienced her first, and maybe only, hangover she'll ever have. "Bad idea...not doing that again." She forced herself to sit up, finding herself in one of the beds in their hotel room. Her headache made her groan as she rubbed her temples. As the pain began to dull, she looked up, seeing Sora sitting in front of her bed with a tray of breakfast and some medicine. "...Sora?" "You alright, Aqua?" he asked, pushing the tray up to the hungover mare. "You had...quite a night." "...I guess..." Aqua grabbed the medicine and swallowed the pills, slowly numbing out the painful headache and easing her stomach as she took a sip of water. She looked out the window, having no idea how long she was out for. "What time is it?" "Almost noon," he said. "'Hinny of the Hills' had already started playing early this morning, but the girls missed it because they overslept." Sora sighed as he recalled the worst of the evening after Aqua's drunken ramblings. "Rarity decided to make a new line using inspiration from the hotel room, and as odd as that may sound, they...didn't look that bad." "That good news doesn't sound all that great," she said, not bothering to eat as her stomach wasn't settled just yet. "Rarity wound up overworking her friends, making it more like a sweatshop than friends helping a friend in need. She didn't need me or Riku, saying we weren't 'fashion savvy', but we could have helped out if she wasn't so strict and uptight about creating a new line in the span of an entire evening. And to make it worse, she wound up guilt tripping us, even saying 'It's everypony for themselves in this city.'" Aqua looked down at the floor, remembering a few things she did say while she was drunk. Mostly involving telling Rarity she told her so and she was taken advantage of because of her generosity. "I think the fashion show's about to start, though I doubt any of us would want to go after acting like a slave owner as her friends tried to help her get back on her hooves." "...It's not her fault." Aqua looked up at Sora, growing angry, but she kept her composure. "It's Suri Polomare's. She made Rarity behave like that after getting too nice with her, then stealing everything she worked hard for to cheat her way to winning." She leapt off the bed and began heading out of the room. "I'm going to give that miserable excuse of a pony a piece of my mind." "Wait, you're not going to attack her, are you?" Sora asked, worried about her mental state as he saw the angered expression on her face. "No...I'm just going to tell the whole show that she's nothing but a liar and a thief," she explained. "I saw her with that fabric and used it to make her clothes for that line she was supposed to show off. She's going to regret cheating her way to victory and abusing Rarity's generosity to help her out when she clearly didn't need it." As Aqua and Sora made it to the fashion show, they had just finished showing off Suri's "original" line, the models wearing her clothing and the audience loving it. Up next was Rarity's, and when Aqua got a look at the clothing line she made within less than a day, it was an oddly fashionable theme relating to the hotel they stayed in. It was odd seeing the models wearing hotel key sashes, lampshade hats, soap pendants, anything that could be found in a hotel, but to her surprise, the crowd actually liked Rarity's clothing better than Suri's stolen set. As satisfying as it was to see Suri bested by Rarity's fabric used with her own clothing, the unicorn on stage wasn't. She looked down at an empty row that was reserved for her friends, but they didn't show up, all of them still asleep after working hard to help her, even if she was a bit rude to them with rushing them. Prim Headline stepped up to the stage to ask Rarity to explain to the crowd and reporters about her designs. She looked back down at the empty seats, her eyes began shimmering a myriad of colors, which surprised both Keyblade wielders. "Sora, did you see that?" "Rarity's eyes shining like a rainbow for a brief moment? Then yeah, I saw it." Rarity soon leapt down off the stage and ran out of the building, surprising the audience as she up and left. "Rarity, wait!" Sora chased after her, but Aqua stayed behind. She saw the smirk on Suri's face behind the curtain, sure to be the winner after Rarity left. "Yeah, you just keep grinning, you sick pony." She walked down the aisles as Prim Headline began to go through the results after the judges made a decision. "And the winner of this year's Fashion Week competition is Rarity, and her Hotel Chic line...but, seeing as she had just run off, the trophy goes to the runner-up, Suri Polo-" "I'll take the trophy on Rarity's behalf!" Aqua called out, surprising the crowd as the spotlight shone down on the mare. "And you are...?" Prim asked. "Rarity's assistant. And before she left to deal with a matter she needed to fix, she told me to accept the trophy for her if she won." Aqua stepped up to the stage, but Suri Polomare blocked her off. "It doesn't work that way," Suri chuckled. "Apparently, Rarity didn't have the courage to stay on stage long enough. Her line was horrible anyway. So, me being the runner-up, I automatically win." "By automatically win, you mean cheated?" The audience gasped in shock, but the thieving fashionista laughed to make Aqua seem like she was just making an assumption. "I don't know what you're talking about. I made my clothing with my own fabric that I made myself." She waved her hoof and called Coco to bring out her line on the mobile rack, Aqua recognizing the mare she bumped into yesterday before meeting Suri. She saw the nervous and guilty look on her face, which meant she was more Suri's pawn than her assistant. "How could I be considered a cheater when I design my own lines?" "Hmm...Well, when we spoke yesterday, you instantly liked Rarity's fabric and wanted to 'borrow a swatch', as you stated," Aqua explained. She grabbed Suri's hoof, examining it for any signs of any recent sewing scars. "A bit of a surprise that you seemed to have sewn your line perfectly as you rushed yesterday, not even a little scar or nick from your sewing machine, considering you're an earth pony." "So what does that prove?" Suri asked. "I'm a professional." "Even professionals make mistakes, especially when they rush." Aqua approached Coco, gently taking her hooves and looking at them, seeing a few small bandages from rushed sewing. "You're the same mare I bumped into yesterday, right?" She nodded her head as Aqua lowered the assistant's hoof down. "What's your name?" "C-Coco Pommel," she answered. "How long have you worked with Suri?" Aqua asked. "A few months," Coco said. "And you're asking my assistant questions when you accused me of cheating and stealing?" Suri questioned, quickly silenced as Aqua summoned her Keyblade and pointed it at her while keeping her eyes on Coco, the audience surprised to see her call forth her weapon. "Do you know exactly when your boss 'made' that fabric on her line for the show?" the Keyblade Master asked. Coco looked at Suri, giving her a glare to keep her mouth shut despite Aqua's Keyblade pointed at her. She knew the fabric was stolen, her face telling the unicorn everything she needed, but she needed her to say it to confirm it with the rest of the ponies watching. "...Yesterday," Coco replied, finally fed up with keeping this lie and pointed at Suri. "But she didn't make it. She stole it from Rarity!" The crowd gasped in shock, even Prim Headline. Suri's eye twitched, chuckling nervously as looked back at everyone. "I don't know what she's talking about," she said, but Coco wasn't done. "And she didn't make her line at all! I did all the work while she did absolutely nothing like I was her slave!" Aqua stepped aside and grinned, watching the soon to be ex-assistant to Suri Polomare berate her boss and expose her for the liar she was. "I actually began to believe you when you said it was everypony for themselves in Manehattan, but I think I'd believe Rarity more than you! You lied to everyone here, and you even lied to me when you gave me that fabric you said you bought, which was clearly taken by the mare who deserves to win!" "Coco, shut up!" Suri growled through her teeth. "Rarity's a very generous pony, and you took advantage of her, just like you did to me by lying!" Coco continued. "When I ran off to get your coffee, I saw some ponies who talked about a unicorn mare who was quite friendly, not knowing who she was, and even offered them gifts or help without asking for anything in return. I asked them who she looked like, and they matched the same description as Rarity, the mare who's stolen fabric I used to make these dresses...And it makes me sick to think I made something that was originally designed by somepony else for a no good, lazy pony who doesn't even make her own clothes! So, I have one thing to say to you, Suri Polomare!" She grabbed all of Suri's line off the hangers and threw them on the ground, stomping her hooves on them as she jumped up and down, ruining them and letting out her frustrations she bottled up while working for her. "I quit!" Coco panted, feeling so much better after telling off her employer, but Suri was furious, glaring at the mare with hatred. "You ungrateful little...This is how you repay me after teaching you how to survive in the city!?" She growled, ignoring the disappointing looks from the crowd as she ran at Coco, intent on getting back at her for ruining her reputation. "I'll show you not to mess with Suri Polomare, you-" Aqua swung her Keyblade up, shooting a bolt of lightning down in front of the mare, stopping her in her tracks. She held her blade out, keeping her and Coco between it, using her aura to forcefully turn her head toward the Keyblade Master. "Cheating, stealing, and you're going to add attempted battery to the constant web of criminality you're just piling up." She then turned her head back to the crowd, as many reporters with cameras that were taking pictures of the fashion show caught the mare trying to attack her own assistant after revealing the truth about her success and false victory. "I think you're going to face a lot worse than disqualification once they publish the headline for tomorrow's paper on Fashion Week." After revealing Suri to be the cheating fashion designer she was, destroying her own reputation after almost attacking Coco as the paparazzi got their biggest scoop of the century. Aqua walked with the unemployed mare back to her home, bringing Rarity's trophy with them as she wanted to give her something to thank her for seeing what good she could do without lying or using anyone who would do anything to do their work for them. They wandered about the city of Manehattan, having no idea where they could have gone to. When they reached the Manefair Hotel, Aqua asked the concierge if he saw any of them, and as luck would have it, he pointed them out to the theater. Seeing as Rarity had some ties with the musical's costume designer, she must have been able to give them a private showing of "Hinny of the Hills", seeing the Mane Six made up as Rarity apologized for her behavior. Once they reached the front row seats, Coco explained everything that happened, even quitting being Suri's assistant before she wound up getting herself into more trouble than just being called out as a thief. With their time in Manehattan coming to an abrupt end, they headed for the station to return back to Ponyville. Coco saw them off, but not without giving Rarity her thank you gift inside of a small blue box. On the ride out of the city, Aqua looked out the window as she watched the scenery pass by. Sora sat down beside her, the mare all by herself in the back of the car, and wondering what's been going on with her. After her strange behavior in the past few weeks, and last night with her drunk rambling, he felt there was something she wasn't telling them that she's keeping a secret. "Hey, Aqua?" She looked over at him, surprised she didn't hear him. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?" "Don't worry. I'm fine, Sora," she assured. "I swear I'm not going to get drunk again if that's what you're worried about. First and last time I'll ever do that again...I was just a bit mad and needed something else to take the edge off." "It's not that," he said. "...It's what you said and did before you passed out." Aqua tried to think back about what happened when she got wasted after her third bottle of that hard cider. The only thing that came to her mind was mocking Rarity, and she apologized to her after being so rude to her while she was drunk. "You called me Ventus." "...I-I did?" Aqua asked. "Yeah...And, you were crying your eyes out and hugged me...I mean, as much as I wanted to back away, I just couldn't because...well, it was pretty...depressing." She looked down, slightly embarrassed, but how Sora described what she did made her feel worse. She missed Terra and Ventus, but she could only save one of them now, the former's heart forever lost in darkness no thanks to Xehanort. "...Do I remind you of Ventus?" "...Yes." She looked at Sora, giving him a sad smile. "You two look so much alike." Aqua moved her hoof over his mane, brushing it against the spiky hairstyle. "Aside from they way your spiked hair is styled and the color, you two practically look like twins. The same blue eyes, similar personalities, but you're more positive than Ven was." Sora chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head. "I guess he's my long-lost twin, but I think he'd be a bit older than me to be called my twin." Aqua nodded, though it was a bit strange to imagine Ventus as a young man in his late twenties. Sora's grin faded, dreading to ask what had happened to Ventus, but it bugged him to wonder how his heart was gone, almost like what had happened to Kairi. "Do you...remember how he lost his heart?" "Unfortunately, I still do," she said, taking a deep breath as she began to explain. "Along with Xehanort, he had an apprentice named Vanitas. He always harrassed Ven, and even attacked me in other worlds too...The saddest part was that Vanitas and Ventus were both one and the same." Sora's eyes widened in shock, figuring both of the names almost sounded similar. "Vanitas was Ventus's darkness. He merged with Ven after he struck me from behind and knocked me out for a while...He took control of his body, even wielded the most powerful Keyblade I had ever seen or felt, but the entire blade was translucent , as if it wasn't complete." "The X-blade?" Aqua nodded her head. "It was really powerful, and I thought I would never be able to beat him. But I did; I clashed with Vanitas and the X-blade after calling for Ven's and Terra's strength, my own Keyblade shimmered with light, and I shattered it." She pulled out her wayfinder, imagining Terra and Ventus standing beside her as they held the ones she made for them with her, Terra's red and Ventus's green. "After being knocked unconscious by the explosive force of the broken X-blade, reaching out to Ven so I wouldn't lose him again, that's when I found out his heart was gone." "I see...Well, at least Ventus is safe until you find his heart. Wherever it may be." As Sora leaned back in the seat, Aqua glanced at him for a moment before looking back out the window, wondering if it was possible Ventus's heart wasn't all that far away. As they returned to Ponyville, they headed to their homes/Gummi ships to retire for the evening. Rarity and Aqua arrived back in the Carousel Boutique, the white unicorn placing her trophy up on the shelf before sitting down behind her work desk. She opened up the gift Coco gave her, a spool of rainbow thread resting inside. "Oh my. How lovely, Coco Pommel." She levitated her new spool up on the shelf with six other spools, ironically colored to match the coats of herself and her pony friends. "I hope she'll enjoy working with the costume designer for the next show Bridleway will show." "At least she'll be better off working there than with Suri Polomare." Rarity nodded, vowing to watch out for any other ponies who were like Suri and take advantage of her generous nature. As the two unicorns began to head upstairs to bed, Aqua stopped when she noticed a light come from her peripheral vision. The rainbow spool began to shimmer brightly, but as she turned to look at the shelf, it disappeared, but she felt the odd sensation of light coming from it. "...What was that?" With no sign of the light around anymore, Aqua shrugged her shoulders and prepared to get some rest, though what had just happened and Rarity's flashing rainbow light from her eyes remained to be answered and why they happened.